Testing the Waters
by Emerald Embers
Summary: Kael investigates how far his connection with Illidan might go. Illidan/Kael, Warcraft III universe.


Illidan was a man who often gave off the impression he was prone to rash actions. Few attempted to reconcile his seemingly impulsive behaviour with the incidents that could only have been born of careful planning, or stopped to question how he could evade their interference so often.

He could admit readily to having a temper and tendency towards haste, but no one could call him careless – more often than not, when they slandered him so, it was because he would act when others would not take the risk.

Illidan was not given to rash actions, and he was not given to trust. Thus, when the young Prince Kael'thas assisted in his recipe he did not instantly consider the blood elf a friend; only an ally. Kael took it in stride and did not act like a petulant child in response to Illidan's initial frostiness, kept to the simple rules of working together for mutual benefit.

Time passed quickly though, and as Kael proved to be a worthy tactician and impressive fighter, Illidan found himself warming to the blood elf. Conversations moved from being necessities into being companionable, with a swiftness that surprised him.

Swiftness soon proved to be a force of habit on the journey north, increasingly icy lands demanding constant vigilance against frostbite, and surprises began to lose their shock effect. Times to relax were few and far apart, so most of the men – leaders such as Illidan included – opted to artificially extend those rare eventualities with a generous application of alcohol. Given the threat of attack at any moment, perhaps a little too generous.

And so it was that after one particularly heavy session, Illidan nearly choked on his ale when the table creaked beneath Kael's weight as the blood elf leant across it and asked how night elf women coped with the size of their mates. After recovering his breath the demon hunter smirked and replied, "I would not say 'cope'. There are many reasons we worship women in our culture, and the worship extends beyond church."

"But even the most... well worshipped of women," Kael pushed, using the new euphemism with distinctive pleasure, "Must surely struggle. I've heard of human women having problems with human men – what happens if a male of your kind is particularly blessed?"

Illidan laughed then and found himself relaxing somewhat under the steady lewdness of Kael's conversation, the brazen tone amusing him. "You're the mage. Think creatively."

"I would not ask if I had thought of an answer."

"Have you come across the deviate fish? It's a difficult creature to get hold of outside the horde, but nonetheless, it circulates amongst our kind on occasion."

"Never."

The demon hunter nodded. "Well, when that particular fish is treated correctly, it can be made into a potion that makes the imbiber grow in size for a certain length of time. As you can imagine, aside from giving a little extra strength to whoever drinks it, it can also have certain... more practical uses."

The table creaked again as weight was lifted off it, and Kael's chair scraped against the floor as the blood elf settled back into place. The invasion of personal space was something that unsettled Illidan more now than ever courtesy of personal space itself having become a strange concept during his incarceration and the fact he could not see what was happening inside the space, only estimate from what he could hear and feel. "How might a person find this fish?"

"Any auction house in any continent – why do you ask?"

Kael went tellingly quiet, but was no coward and thus said after a moment's pause, "Would it shock you to know I had a personal interest in adjusting size?"

"Not particularly. After that incident last week with our blacksmith and the naga woman, I doubt any interbreeding would surprise me."

"Then would it also not shock you to know the personal interest could be on your behalf as well?"

Illidan waited for an explanation and, on realising the blood elf wasn't going to expand on his question without prompting, took a long drink of his ale and asked for a repetition of the question. True to his nature, the blood elf said every last word over again in the exact same tone. "Is it not a little forward to assume I would roll into bed with you if you offered?"

"I did not make any demands, I simply stated that it was a possibility. It is the least I could do after all you have done for my people, and you are a distinctly attractive man." Kael's tone was quietly confident but left plenty of room for questioning; as carefully evasive of firm answers as any of his kind.

"Clever, but it did not cross your mind to broach the subject over time and subtlety?"

"We have no time for playing games, and I would not insult your intelligence with hints of romance. You are attractive, and I am attracted to you – I will not pretend to be interested in buying gifts and paying unnecessary compliments, and I will not lie that our relationship could be anything other than short."

"You sell yourself cheaply for a prince."

"Do you consider yourself a poor buyer?" Kael replied sharply, refusing to accept the insult easily. "I do not offer myself up to any hero or rescuer, and certainly not before judging their character. I thought you a solid enough person to take a compliment of this nature well. It isn't love I offer, but release." The table creaked again, and Illidan soon found Kael's breath warm against his face. "We both have lost loves to dwell on as is, but it is no reason to avoid pleasure altogether."

Illidan did not reply but the slight ease of tension in his expression must have been seen as an opening; the blood elf's lips descended on his, firm and testing. The heat was strange after so long with fire as the only source of warmth in frozen lands, but stranger still was the fact Kael's magic could be tasted on his skin. He knew blood elves had problems with any magic they possessed dissipating quickly, but the constant thrum of energy truly drove home why their thirst for magic ached to such a degree.

Kael pulled back. "Are you still averse to the idea?"

It was very difficult to argue a case if one's own principles had nothing to offer on the subject, knowing only that it was a fool's exercise and therefore something there would never be an opportunity to do in the future. Mistakes were a privilege for peacetime. "You don't have any potions with you."

Contrary to what many thought, mirth could be sensed long before it entered someone's voice. "You said to think creatively. There are far more things to do in bed without assistance."

Illidan stood up and stretched, deliberately emphasising his size advantage over Kael before walking to the tent's exit. "It could be worth seeing the results of you putting that mouth to good use," he taunted, trusting the blood elf to follow him and finding his confidence justified. "If this plan of yours sprang from the ale, I'll see you whipped in the morning."

"Seeing as Lady Vashj helped me in its execution, I doubt she would allow it," Kael replied with a conspirator's laugh before closing the short distance between himself and Illidan's own tent. "Persuading you towards rash actions takes as much planning as any battle."

The demon hunter caught himself before his steps faltered, and made a note to have some firm words with the Naga priestess in the morning.

As it turned out, he wouldn't have stood a chance of remembering. Kael's mouth was just as talented as his word play suggested.

.

The End


End file.
